Other Titles
Controlled Substance Handoff [Poster Title]
Abstract
Purpose: Effective communication during nurse-to-nurse relief is vital for patient safety, especially in complex surgeries. In the Operating Room (OR), inconsistencies in handoffs arise due to lack of structure, information gaps and time constraints. This project evaluates the impact of implementing a structured SWITCH (Surgical Procedure, Wet, Instruments, Tissue, Counts, and Have Questions) protocol for nurse-to-nurse handoff reports during breaks and permanent relief, aiming to improve continuity of care, reduce errors, and enhance patient safety.
Relevance: The SWITCH handoff model ensures all relevant surgical information is clearly communicated, reducing the risk of incomplete or unclear handoffs that can compromise patient care. By implementing a structured handoff report, communication improves, incomplete information is minimized, patient complications and errors are reduced, OR nurses experience improved situational awareness and increased satisfaction with handoff reports (1,2,3,4).
Methods: This evidence-based practice project uses the IOWA model as the framework, with a new report template reflecting the SWITCH model. Staff education included a live presentation on project expectations, followed by weekly education reinforcement, socializing the new template, and visual cues at workstations. Outcomes were evaluated through pre-and post-surveys that assess staff perceptions and experiences, as well as audits of the SWITCH handoff templates.
Results: The pre-survey (n=48) indicated that 91% of nurses believed that a standardized handoff report would improve patient safety, with 56% of nurses being “very satisfied” with their non-standardized handoff reports. In contrast, the post- survey (n=23) revealed 82% were “very satisfied” with the practice change of the SWITCH model. Additionally, 86% of participants confirmed that the SWITCH model improved patient safety and that they would continue using it. All audited SWITCH handoff reports were 100% logically and concisely completed, confirming full adherence to the required handoff report standards.
Conclusion: The SWITCH handoff report model effectively standardizes and structures communication, which is critical for improving communication and ensuring patient safety. This model aligns with the conference theme by representing a commitment to structured communication, reflecting on current practices, respecting patient safety and responding with actionable improvements in the operating room.
Notes
References:
1. King, C. R., Shambe, A., & Abraham, J. (2023). Potential uses of AI for perioperative nursing handoffs: a qualitative study. JAMIA open, 6(1), ooad015. https://doi.org/10.1093/jamiaopen/ooad015
2. Ming Xuan, B., & Chiew-Jiat, R. (2019, December 20). A systematic review on the structured handover interventions between nurses in improving patient safety outcomes. Journal of nursing management. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31859377/
3. Nasiri, E., Lotfi, M., Mahdavinoor, S. M. M., & Rafiei, M. H. (2021). The impact of a structured handover checklist for intraoperative staff shifts changes on effective communication, OR team satisfaction, and patient safety: a pilot study. Patient safety in surgery, 15(1), 25. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13037-021-00299-1.
4. Wolf, Annamaria V., et al. (2023, August). “Bringing a multiteam systems perspective to the perioperative context: Considerations for future research of Perioperative Handoffs.” The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety, vol. 49, no. 8, pp. 345–355, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcjq.2023.03.002.
Sigma Membership
Alpha Alpha Lambda at-Large
Type
Poster
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Interprofessional and Interdisciplinary, Acute Care, Interprofessional Initiatives, Clinical Practice, Technology in Practice, Handoffs, Pediatric Emergency Care
Recommended Citation
Catterson, Lindsey; Revet, Jessica; and Alzawad, Zaina, "Creating A Standardized Intraoperative Handoff Report" (2025). Biennial Convention (CONV). 53.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/convention/2025/posters_2025/53
Conference Name
48th Biennial Convention
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2025-12-04
Creating A Standardized Intraoperative Handoff Report
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Purpose: Effective communication during nurse-to-nurse relief is vital for patient safety, especially in complex surgeries. In the Operating Room (OR), inconsistencies in handoffs arise due to lack of structure, information gaps and time constraints. This project evaluates the impact of implementing a structured SWITCH (Surgical Procedure, Wet, Instruments, Tissue, Counts, and Have Questions) protocol for nurse-to-nurse handoff reports during breaks and permanent relief, aiming to improve continuity of care, reduce errors, and enhance patient safety.
Relevance: The SWITCH handoff model ensures all relevant surgical information is clearly communicated, reducing the risk of incomplete or unclear handoffs that can compromise patient care. By implementing a structured handoff report, communication improves, incomplete information is minimized, patient complications and errors are reduced, OR nurses experience improved situational awareness and increased satisfaction with handoff reports (1,2,3,4).
Methods: This evidence-based practice project uses the IOWA model as the framework, with a new report template reflecting the SWITCH model. Staff education included a live presentation on project expectations, followed by weekly education reinforcement, socializing the new template, and visual cues at workstations. Outcomes were evaluated through pre-and post-surveys that assess staff perceptions and experiences, as well as audits of the SWITCH handoff templates.
Results: The pre-survey (n=48) indicated that 91% of nurses believed that a standardized handoff report would improve patient safety, with 56% of nurses being “very satisfied” with their non-standardized handoff reports. In contrast, the post- survey (n=23) revealed 82% were “very satisfied” with the practice change of the SWITCH model. Additionally, 86% of participants confirmed that the SWITCH model improved patient safety and that they would continue using it. All audited SWITCH handoff reports were 100% logically and concisely completed, confirming full adherence to the required handoff report standards.
Conclusion: The SWITCH handoff report model effectively standardizes and structures communication, which is critical for improving communication and ensuring patient safety. This model aligns with the conference theme by representing a commitment to structured communication, reflecting on current practices, respecting patient safety and responding with actionable improvements in the operating room.
Description
This project evaluates the impact of implementing the SWITCH protocol for nurse- to-nurse handoff reports during reliefs in the Operating Room. The goal is to enhance communication, improve patient safety and reduce errors. By standardizing handoffs, the SWITCH model improves nurses’ situational awareness and increases satisfaction. Results show that this model significantly improves patient safety and staff satisfaction, making it a valuable tool for improving continuity of care in surgery.